Tennis and globalisation

That final between Nadal and Fedderer was incredible.

Years ago, I remember being told that stronger players using better racquets and hitting harder serves would make the game boring. This doesn't seem to have happened.

From what I just saw, the players have got faster and more muscular as promised, but they are also hitting the finest lines, sharpest angles, and wicked, wicked, spin. A big serve is no longer the threat that it was and you can't win without being very good indeed.

Odd analogy, but it occured to me that a similar thing has happened with globalisation. In 2,000 it felt as if the mega-brands and Americana would make everything the same. 8 years on, it rather feels as if global culture has got faster, muscular, and more exiting too.